Retail news

• Landlords pay the price for JD Sports’ empire building

  24-06-2020 20:15
  Leases put to torch; National Express boss hops on Persimmon bus; Naked Wine’s ambition
  
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• John Lewis appoints Pippa Wicks as executive director

  24-06-2020 20:08
  
  The senior Co-op executive will join department store chain in August, replacing Paula NickoldsJohn Lewis has appointed a senior Co-op executive who was previously a management consultant, to head its department store chain.Pippa Wicks, who starts in August, replaces Paula Nickolds, the John Lewis ‘lifer’ who stepped down in February with a £900,000 payoff after three years in charge when profits dived from more than £250m to £40m. Continue reading...
  
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• Company behind Bisto, Mr Kipling and McDougall's expects UK sales surge

  24-06-2020 19:47
  
  Shares in Premier Foods rise 14% as people turn to home cooking in pandemicSales at Premier Foods, the company behind Bisto, Mr Kipling and McDougall’s, are expected to surge by a fifth as UK families turn to home cooking during the pandemic.“Britain’s getting cooking again,” said Alex Whitehouse, the chief executive of Premier Foods. “People are reaching for their recipe books and trying out new meal ideas.” Related: Grains of truth: what the flour shortage t
  
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• Company behind Bisto, Mr Kipling and McDougall's expect UK sales surge

  24-06-2020 19:47
  
  As families turn to home cooking during the pandemic shares in Premier Foods rise 14%Sales at Premier Foods – the company behind Bisto, Mr Kipling and McDougall’s – are expected to surge by a fifth as UK families turn to home cooking during the pandemic.“Britain’s getting cooking again,” said Alex Whitehouse, the chief executive of Premier Foods. “People are reaching for their recipe books and trying out new meal ideas.” Related: Grains of truth: w
  
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• Flipping hell: book designers lament Waterstones' back-to-front displays

  24-06-2020 18:36
  
  Retailer apologises to artists as branches turn books around to help browsers read blurbCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt was understandable but slightly “heartbreaking”, designer Anna Morrison said of the news that Waterstones is asking shoppers to judge a book by its back cover.The retailer has offered its apologies to book designers after some newly reopened branches began displaying books back to front so browsers could read the blurb without pi
  
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• John Lewis Partnership hires Pippa Wicks as John Lewis executive director

  24-06-2020 16:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Pippa Wicks named new John Lewis executive director
  // She joins from the Co-op, where she was deputy CEO, and replaces Paula Nickolds who exited in January
  // Wicks’ appointment forms part of a seven-strong executive team for the John Lewis PartnershipThe John Lewis Partnership has announced the appointment of Pippa Wicks as executive director for John Lewis.
  Wicks joins from the Co-op Group where she was deputy chief executive and will start her new role at the department store chain
  
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• UK jobless figures climbing but most dangerous moment may have passed

  24-06-2020 16:00
  
  Guardian’s monthly economic tracker paints mixed picture with businesses forced to close despite rising spending
  Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageUnemployment in Britain is beginning to climb despite a modest rebound in economic activity in the past month as coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted, Guardian analysis shows.As the government eases restrictions on business and social life after three months of lockdown, the Guardian’s monthly tracke
  
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• The window to prevent mass unemployment is rapidly closing | Anneliese Dodds

  24-06-2020 16:00
  
  With rents due, retailers fear their debts will become unsustainable without fair government supportCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageToday is the day that many businesses on our high streets have dreaded – the due date for the next quarterly rent. This is felt most acutely by those businesses that make up the backbone and character of many local communities but remain closed, such as pubs, hairdressers and restaurants.Even much-loved businesses whose custom
  
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• Dufry launches radical restructuring to shore up balance sheet

  24-06-2020 15:07
  One of world’s biggest operators of airport duty-free shops to cut employee costs by up to third
  
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• Amazon Deliveroo tie up set to be given second green light by CMA

  24-06-2020 15:01 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Amazon’s tie up with Deliveroo is expected to be provisionally approved for a second time by the UK competition watchdog this week, though under different terms.
  The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is expected to provisionally green light the deal, which would see Amazon take a 16 per cent stake in Deliveroo, in the coming days according to Sky News.
  The CMA had already given its provisional approval for the deal to go ahead in April, but has now adjusted its reasoning followi
  
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• Cultivate A Connection with UK Shoppers

  24-06-2020 15:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  About the White Paper: UK Consumer Preferences Report
  What makes a British shopper choose one brand over another and what factors boost brand loyalty and repeat business? And, what commerce features will make a UK consumer avoid a brand? Knowing the answers to these questions helps commerce brands prioritise for British customers.
  To find these answers and much more, Magento commissioned a research study with YouGov in 2019. Over 18,000 respondents from 15 countries were asked to share the facto
  
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• Boris Johnson issues reopening rules for businesses in England

  24-06-2020 14:53
  
  Guidance for 4 July includes client contact details, plastic screens and frequent cleaningCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAfter Boris Johnson announced that thousands of businesses in England, from pubs to bingo halls, would be able to reopen on 4 July, the government has begun publishing sector-by-sector guidance setting out how they can do so. Here are some of the key points: Related: Minibars and buffets bite the dust as England's hotels prepare to reopenCont
  
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• Naked Wines toasts sales boost from Covid-19 lockdowns

  24-06-2020 14:49
  Subscription-based retailer says pandemic will ‘accelerate trends towards direct, online models’
  
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• Crunch time for landlords & retailers as quarterly rent deadline arrives

  24-06-2020 14:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Analysts expect a “grim day” for landlords, with a number of retailers halting rent payments due to the lockdown
  // Landlords got less rental revenue than expected in March, but experts predict payments will be even lower today
  // Boots & Primark among chains which stopped paying rents while Intu teeters towards collapseLandlords have braced themselves for a critical day as they attempt to secure rents from struggling tenants, especially retailers and other high street busines
  
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• The Very Group cuts 141 jobs, create 100 new roles amid restructure

  24-06-2020 13:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // The Very Group to make 106 head office roles and 35 customer care roles redundant, 141 jobs in total
  // Alongside these cuts, it will create 100 new roles across its technology division
  // Job cuts form part of a wider restructure in the wake of coronavirus pandemicThe Very Group has revealed plans to axe 141 office jobs while also create 100 new roles in different teams as part of a restructure in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
  The parent company of online retailers Littlewoods and Ve
  
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• PM issues key points to businesses in England on how to reopen

  24-06-2020 13:37
  
  Guidance for 4 July opening includes client contact details, plastic screens and frequent cleaningCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAfter Boris Johnson announced that thousands of businesses in England, from pubs to bingo halls, would be able to reopen on 4 July, the government has begun publishing sector-by-sector guidance setting out how they can do so. Here are some of the key points: Related: Minibars and buffets bite the dust as England's hotels prepare to re
  
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• Waitrose relaxes guidelines on wonky veg to help farmers

  24-06-2020 13:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Waitrose relaxes vegetable size & shape guidelines
  // The move aims to help farmers through the Covid-19 pandemic as well as reduce food waste
  // Farms have also been given more flexibility regarding skin blemishes on carrots & parsnipsWaitrose has announced it will relax its size and shape guidelines for the carrots, parsnips and asparagus it buys from UK farmers.
  The move it to further help the retailer’s food producers through the Covid-19 pandemic as well as reduce food wast
  
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• Etsy sees share price triple to all time high to become one of the few retail winners of pandemic

  24-06-2020 11:32 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Etsy’s stock price has more than tripled since mid-March and now stands at a record high marking one of the few retail success stories to emerge from the pandemic.
  The online marketplace for independent sellers has experienced a dramatic turnaround since March when its share value plummeted by more than half over coronavirus fears.
  In early April the retailer called on its network of sellers and makers to “start making face masks” in an unprecedented effort to meet demand.
  A we
  
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• High levels of arsenic found in US Whole Foods’ bottled water brand

  24-06-2020 11:00
  
  Tests by Consumer Reports find toxic metal in Starkey Spring Water, which was previously recalled for exceeding federal limits, and is sold on AmazonRevealed: millions of Americans can’t afford water as bills rise 80% in a decadeBottled water manufactured by Whole Foods and sold in most of its US stores and on Amazon contains potentially harmful levels of arsenic, according to new tests by Consumer Reports (CR).CR recently tested dozens of bottled water brands and found that Starkey Spring
  
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• Gear4music reports back on “exceptionally strong trading” during lockdown

  24-06-2020 10:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gear4music notes “significant increase in demand” during coronavirus lockdown
  // Retailer saw positive sales trends for first months of 2021 financial yearOnline musical instrument specialist Gear4music has reported a boost in sales during lockdown as customers look for ways to stay busy whilst stuck at home.
  Revenue rose 2 per cent to £120.3 million in the full year to March 31, during which time the retailer also grew its customer base by 11 per cent, to 807,000.READ MORE:
  
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• Commercial landlords expect shortfall on rent day for UK retailers

  24-06-2020 10:09
  
  Only about half of what was owed was paid last time because of Covid-19 lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt is a critical day for the UK’s commercial landlords as they attempt to collect £2.5bn in rent from their struggling tenants, including retailers, restaurants and pubs.Wednesday marks the second so-called quarter day, traditionally one of the year’s four occasions when rent is paid for the following three months. Related: Trafford C
  
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• Tesco mulls price war campaign against Aldi & Lidl

  24-06-2020 10:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco plans major price war against Aldi & Lidl as the UK heads into recession
  // Tesco to roll out an everyday low pricing campaign that will involve branded as well as own label products
  // Promotional activity expected to be driven through Clubcard loyalty card, which has 19m membersTesco is reportedly planning to launch a major new price war against the discounters as it prepares for the increasing likelihood that the UK will face a coronavirus-driven recession.
  According to The Groce
  
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• Hundreds of garment workers for Primark and Zara factories dismissed after forming union

  24-06-2020 10:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Factory workers making clothing for Zara and Primark were fired after forming unions
  // Factories said social distancing was behind the terminations but workers allege new staff were since brought in to replace them
  // Workers tell Zara founder Don Amancio Ortega: “management has seized upon the global crisis as an opportunity to destroy our unions”Hundreds of factory staff producing Zara and Primark clothing were fired days after forming a union, according to reports from the Gua
  
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• Naked Wines’ revenue up 81% during lockdown

  24-06-2020 09:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Revenue soars for Naked Wines after lockdown takes hold
  // Retailer achieves £8.2m in profit for FY to March 2020
  // James Crawford appointed managing director of Naked Wines’ UK businessOnline wine specialist Naked Wines on Wednesday revealed revenue was up 81 per cent for April and May, making up the first two months of its fiscal year for 2021.
  Profit after tax rose to £8.2 million in the full year to March 30, after a loss of £9.4 million for the same time a year b
  
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• JD Sports buys back Go Outdoors in £56.5m pre-pack deal after appointing administrators

  24-06-2020 08:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // JD Sports appoints Deloitte LLP as Go Outdoors’ administrators
  // Go Outdoors sold back to JD Sports in pre-pack deal worth £56.5 million
  // Majority of Go Outdoors’ real estate and jobs to be preservedJD Sports has announced the appointment of Michael Magnay and Daniel Butters of Deloitte LLP as joint administrators for its Go Outdoors business, before buying it back in a pre-pack deal for £56.5 million.
  Citing the impact of Covid-19 closures, as well as “extrem
  
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• Zara and Primark factory workers say they were fired after forming union

  24-06-2020 08:00
  
  Workers in Myanmar say management targeted union supporters under pretense layoffs were related to coronavirus Hundreds of workers at two factories in Myanmar that produce clothing for Zara and Primark were fired days after forming a union in a move workers say targeted union supporters under the pretense that layoffs were related to the coronavirus. Zara is the main brand of Inditex, the largest clothing retailer in the world. Related: Zara owner to close up to 1,200 fashion stores around the w
  
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• Lockdown wardrobe clear-outs threaten to flood charity shops

  24-06-2020 07:01
  
  Call for volunteers as households brace to discard 67m items of clothing and 22m pairs of shoesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe British public is set to discard 67m items of clothing and 22m pairs of shoes after two in five of us had a wardrobe clear-out during lockdown.While clothing is the most common item destined for charity shops, clothing recycling schemes or the bin, other accessories including bedding, household textiles and bags all contribute to an
  
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• Waitrose relaxes vegetable size and shape guidelines to help farmers

  24-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Waitrose has relaxed its size and shape guidelines for the carrots, parsnips and asparagus it buys from UK farmers as it looks to help them through the... View Article
  
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• Naked Wines appoints UK managing director

  24-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Naked Wines has appointed James Crawford as managing director of its UK business. Currently chief financial officer of Naked, he has been managing the UK business... View Article
  
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• JD Sports buys back Go Outdoors for £56.5m via pre-pack deal

  24-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  JD Sports has bought back its Go Outdoors retail business after it was placed into administration due to the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. The sportswear... View Article
  
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• Gear4music sales exceptionally strong during lockdown

  24-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online musical instruments retailer Gear4music has said it experienced exceptionally high levels of demand during the Covid-19 lockdown as more people learned how to play a musical instrument to keep... View Article
  
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• Covid Solution: Touchless Biometric Clocks with Fever Recognition

  24-06-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Softworks award winning Time & Attendance, eRostering, HR and Absence Management Solutions have been assisting leading organisations for 30 years. Softworks are delighted to now introduce... View Article
  
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